Developmental Milestones for Children Ages One to Two

Developmental Milestones for Babies One and Under

By your child’s first birthday, they will have grown and developed a ton since you first brought them home. They’ll be curious, active, and ready to learn everything they can about the world around them. 

It’s always important to make sure they’re reaching their developmental milestones because if they aren’t, pediatric therapy can help get them back on track. Below is a quick look at the milestones your child should reach between ages one and two.

By 15 Months

Just a few months after your child’s first birthday, they will already have learned a bunch of new skills. Here are some of the milestones to look out for in your 15-month-old:

  • Copies other children while playing
  • Routinely shows you different objects they like
  • Claps when they get excited
  • Hugs their stuffed animals, baby dolls, etc.
  • Shows you affection with hugs and kisses
  • Tries to say one or two words, like “ba” for bottle
  • Can find and look at a familiar object when you name it
  • Follow simple directions when you speak and use gestures (If you ask for a toy while holding out your hand, they will give you the toy.)
  • Points to ask you to help them or give them something
  • Mimics the way you use things like a phone, book, or cup
  • Stacks small objects
  • Takes a few steps on their own
  • Uses fingers to feed themselves some food

By 18 Months

A year and a half in, and your child is still like a little sponge absorbing knowledge. They’ll be practicing their new skills and reaching new milestones, such as: 

  • Pointing to show you something interesting
  • Looking at the pages in a book you read to them
  • Helps you dress them by pushing their arm through a sleeve or lifting up their foot
  • Vocabulary is growing beyond “mama” and “dada,” may have specific sounds for several objects or people 
  • Follows simple verbal directions
  • Plays with toys in a simple way, like pushing a toy car
  • Walks without holding on to anyone or anything
  • Scribbles on paper with crayons or markers
  • Drinks from a cup without a lid, even if they spill sometimes
  • Feeds themselves food using their fingers
  • Tries to use a spoon
  • Climbs on and off a couch or chair without help

By 24 Months

Once your child reaches their second birthday, they’ll be able to do so many new things! In addition to the milestones mentioned above, your child should:

  • Notices when others are hurt or upset, like pausing or looking sad when someone is crying
  • Looks at your face to see how to react in a new situation
  • Points to things in a book when you ask, like “Where is the dog?”
  • Can say at least two words together, like “More milk.”
  • Points to at least two body parts when you ask them to show you
  • Uses more gestures than just waving and pointing, like blowing a kiss or nodding yes
  • Holds something in one hand while using the other hand; for example, holding a container and taking the lid off
  • Tries to use switches, knobs, or buttons on a toy
  • Kicks a ball
  • Runs
  • Eats with a spoon

How We Treat These Missed Milestones

By about two years old, your child should be very active and social with the people around them. If they haven’t reached these milestones by their second birthday, they can benefit from pediatric therapy to help them get back on track.  

  • For example, a child between one and two years old whose vocabulary is small, or who doesn’t seem interested in communicating, can benefit from speech and language therapy to help improve their communication and social skills. 
  • A child in this age group who can’t walk on their own, has poor balance, can’t run, etc., will benefit from physical and occupational therapy to improve their motor skills, strength, and flexibility. 
  • And a child in this age group who struggles to feed themselves or can’t use a spoon to feed themselves can receive feeding or occupational therapy to gain the ability to feed themselves with confidence.

At our clinic, we can help with all of these situations and more. If your baby or child needs pediatric therapy, we can help get them on the road to success. Call us at (318) 746-1199 today for a free phone screening!

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